Technical Abstract:
Fall 2006 and Spring 2007 samples of fish, water and effluent (Chicago Northside Water Reclamation Plant) were collected and analyzed for several persistent and semi-persistent chemicals that are believed to be significantly loading into the North Branch of the Chicago River from the Northside Water Reclamation Plant (e.g., often >80% effluent dominated). The fish and streamwater samples were obtained about 3km downstream of the discharge site. Extensive analyses were performed on the fish including alkylphenols (NP, NP1EO, NP2EO, and NP3EO), PBDEs, PCB, and numerous organochlorine pesticides. Limited studies of chemicals in the water samples included nonyl and octyl-phenol and their higher-mole ethoxylates up to OP12EO and NP18EO as well as bisphenol a. Of all the alkyphenols, only the low molecular weight nonylphenols were consistently detected and there was a noticeably lower concentration of these in both the water and fish (about 1/5th) for the fall versus concentrations measured in samples from the colder waters in the spring. Meanwhile the levels of PBDEs, PCBs and organochlorine pesticides in the fish showed no significant differences between the fall and spring collections. Markers for endocrine disruption impacts were conducted on the collected fish and aside from elevated vitellogenin levels in male fish that were associated with the higher concentrations of nonylphenols, no obvious effects were observed.